Land & Marine Big Five

Isabel, Ewan, Matt and Charlotte C are here to help give you the inside track.

This 10-day South African safari is best enjoyed between July
and December, when you can see both big marine life (whales,
dolphins, sharks, dolphins and penguins), and big land game (in the
form of lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos and buffaloes), as well
as all manner of other creatures.

Itinerary at a Glance:

Spot whales swimming off the coast of Grootbos Nature
Reserve

Try and tick off seeing all of the Big Five on game drives in
Madikwe Game Reserve

Look out for unusual species such as pangolins on a riding
safari in Tswalu Game Reserve

Why Book with Original Travel?

Just a few of the extra touches that come as standard on an Original Travel holiday...

All of the holidays we create are completely tailor-made to you

When you land into Cape Town today you will be met by one of our
friendly ground team and whisked to your waiting transfer. The
journey to your first holiday stop - Grootbos Nature Reserve, home
to one of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World - is
about two hours, so if you were on an overnight flight you should
arrive in time for lunch.

Enjoy your first South African meal and then head out to start
exploring with your expert guide. The reserve is in the heart of
the Cape Floral Kingdom, one of only six (and by far the smallest)
floristic kingdoms on Earth, and exemplified by the many endemic
species of plants that make up the so-called fynbos landscape
here.

You may be in South Africa to spot the Big 5 animals and marine
species, but with a qualified botanist as your guide learning about
the 'Floral 5000' (we may have just made that up, but there are
about that number of different endemic plant species here) is just
as interesting. This evening, a five-course dinner can be enjoyed
overlooking the beautiful reserve and coast beyond.

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Additional Activities

Evening river cruise on the Lady Stanford river cruise (at
additional cost)

Day 2: Marine Five

Start your search for the marine wildlife today. Don't forget
your sea legs as you board a boat for a day trip to spot the Marine
Five.

Whilst the Big Five can be seen all year round, only four of the
Marine Five can be seen all year round, with whales proving a
little trickier and only seen between June and November, with July
and August the best times.

During the trip you will hopefully spot bottlenose dolphins
swimming alongside the boat, Cape fur seals by the thousand; their
chief predator great white sharks, colonies of cute and cuddly
penguins and (at the right time of year) southern white whales
breaching. After all the excitement of the day, wind down with a
dip in the pool and then get ready for another delicious dinner,
complemented by one of South Africa's superb wines.

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Additional Activities

After a long day at sea, take to the spa for a pampering
treatment (at additional cost)

Day 3: Lush Landscapes in Grootbos

Spend your last day in Grootbos enjoying the lush landscapes and
diverse scenery.

Start the day by going out on a guided horse ride to explore
more of the reserve as well as enjoy the freedom of cantering
through the fynbos with a cool sea breeze in your hair. This
afternoon, swap the fynbos for the beach and spend a few hours
walking along the coast with your guide, discovering hidden caves
and dipping in and out of the sea before going back to the hotel
for dinner.

Additional Activities

Get up and pack your bags this morning before you are driven
back to Cape Town airport for the hour-long light aircraft flight
to Madikwe in the north of the country.

Here you'll be met by your new guide and driven to the lodge for
a late lunch. This afternoon head out on your first safari,
hopefully ticking off some of the Big Five as you explore the
reserve. As the drive draws to a close, stop for sundowners and the
chance to really soak up your beautiful surroundings. Dinner will
then be served back at the lodge.

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Day 5: The Big Five

Wake up bright and early this morning to go out on the morning
game drive.

early this morning to go out on the morning game drive. Driving
around some of the pristine 185,000-acre game reserve you'll see
all manner of wildlife, and can hopefully add to your growing list
of species spotted, including some of the land-based Big Five:
elephants, lions, rhinos, buffaloes and leopards.

Enjoy a dip in the pool and an afternoon siesta back at the
lodge and then join the afternoon game drive which will once again
come complete with sundowners.

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Additional Activities

Get back to nature with a sleepout in a treehouse (available in
some camps at additional cost)

Day 6: Game Drives and Sofa Safaris in Madikwe

You'll be familiar with the safari routine by now but getting up
for the morning game drive should still be just as exciting as
before. Each game drive is different and you can never predict what
you'll come across, but you can almost guarantee there will be
something new and exciting.

Being back at the lodge doesn't mean the safari has to end
either as often animals will walk right past the pool or your
private terrace meaning you can experience a so-called 'sofa
safari' where the game comes to you instead of the other way
around.

Since this afternoon's game drive will be the last of your
holiday, make sure you tell your guide if there is anything you are
still desperate to see, or want to see more of, and they will see
what they can do.

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Additional Activities

Book in for a spot of star gazing under the South African
sky

Day 7: Bush Walks Through the Savannah in Tswalu

The adventure continues this morning as you travel to your next
and final stop of the holiday, Tswalu. To get there you'll first
take an hour-long light aircraft flight from Madikwe to
Johannesburg Airport, from where you will connect onto an even
shorter half-an-hour flight to Tswalu Airport.

When you land in Tswalu, which is in the far north of the
country, close to the border with Botswana and just south of the
Kalahari Desert, you'll be met and transferred to your new lodge in
the heart of Tswalu Game Reserve. Settle into your luxury lodge and
head out on an afternoon guided bush walk to explore your arid
savannah surroundings.

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Additional Activities

Visit one of Tswalu's two habituated meerkat colonies

Day 8: Taking in Tswalu

Today you can begin properly exploring Tswalu with your guide on
a morning game drive.

As well as some of the more traditional game, expect to see some
unusual and rare species here including black-maned lions, sable,
tsessebe, meerkats and (if you're really lucky) pangolins,
aardvarks and wild dogs. At 270,000-acres, Tswalu is South Africa's
largest game reserve and yet there are only ever a maximum of ten
vehicles, so there's a good chance you won't see anyone else at
all.

When back at the lodge, enjoy a champagne lunch and unwind with
a book before enjoying another drive or walk. Dinner will then be
served at the lodge and you'll want to spend some time around the
boma (encampment) fire enjoying the night sky views and chatting to
the staff and dedicated researchers who are real experts in their
field.

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Additional Activities

Treat yourself to a massage at Tswalu Spa with its outdoor
treatment area and indigenous spa garden (at additional cost)

Day 9: Saddle Up for a Riding Safari

As it's your last day today, get up early to make the most of
the day and pack in lots of exploring.

For something a little different you might like to try a riding
safari. The team will pick you an experienced horse - chosen
depending on your experience - before you join an expert guide to
walk, trot or gallop across the savannah in search of wildlife. On
horseback the vastness and remote beauty of the reserve will strike
you even more than before, and it also allows you to get closer to
animals than you might in a 4x4 because wildlife can't distinguish
you from other four-legged animals.

After your ride the rest of the day is yours to spend as you
please, either relaxing, or on a bush walk or game drive. When the
light starts to fade, sip on sundowners and then tuck into a last
delicious dinner.

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Additional Activities

Star gazing or sleep out again in the semi-arid Kalahari
landscape of Tswalu (at additional cost)

Day 10: Heading Home

Sadly, the time has come to begin your journey home today.
Depending on the time of your flight today, you may be able to
enjoy a last leisurely breakfast and some last minute R&R or
one final game drive. You will then be transferred to the airport
for the half an hour flight to Johannesburg airport. Here you can
then check in for you international flight home.

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All of the holidays we create are completely tailor-made to you

This sample itinerary is intended to give you a flavour of what we can do

A Rough Idea of Price

While all of our holidays are completely tailor-made and prices will vary based on things like time of year and level of accommodation, we want to give you as good an idea of how much this itinerary will cost. All of the costs on our sample itineraries exclude international flights, however, ask us if you would like us to arrange your flights at our preferred rates.

This Itinerary

If you would like to book the exact itinerary mentioned above, during mid-season and staying in our preferred room category at our preferred hotels. Ask us if you would also like us to arrange your international flights.

From

$13,095pp

Bare Necessities

If you would like to pare back the above itinerary by travelling at non-peak times, staying in a standard room and removing some or all of the guided activities.

From

$11,785pp

Bells & Whistles

If you are looking for something extra special and would like to stay in top room categories at some of the most luxurious hotels we work with, and add more activities and guiding.

From

$15,715pp

At Your Service

We rarely boast about our service but we believe it's what sets us apart and makes us truly original, so please forgive this moment of unabashed self-promotion.